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MPD controversial knee restraint
MPD controversial knee restraint
MILWAUKEE -- FOX6 News is asking questions about a controversial arrest. Video shows an officer restraining a protester as they clashed near 6th Street and Vliet Street Tuesday, June 2. That video has been passed on to experts. It shows a knee on the back of a protester's head -- and at least one city leader has said she was upset by what she saw.
"Get off his neck! Get off his neck!" the crowd shouted just outside Fiserv Forum Tuesday evening as a confrontation between police and protesters escalated.
Video shows a man lying on the ground as an officer restrains him.
"Stop that! Stop that!" the crowd shouted as the officer's knee held the man down, and kicked him in his side.
The arrest drew ire from demonstrators, and a day later, Alderwoman Milele Coggs didn't hold back.
"It's frustrating as hell," said Alderwoman Coggs.
The 6th District alderwoman said she's upset with the way the officer responded.
"With videos like that, my expectation is that it will be fully investigated," said Alderwoman Coggs.
FOX6 reached out to law enforcement expert George Klein to get his take.
"This situation is not clear," said Klein. "It's problematic."
Klein is a professor emeritus at Oakton Community College and works as an expert witness. He said by his observation, the officer's knee was on the man's neck momentarily -- but for about 20 seconds, it pushed the man's head.
"The knee on the head is problematic because you could break the neck," said Klein. "You could cut the blood flow. You could cause brain damage."
He said the officer's actions don't compare to those of officers in Minneapolis in the case of George Floyd.
"This was a struggle," said Klein.
In the end, the protester stood up in handcuffs, as the clash between the two groups continued.
FOX6 News reached out to Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett -- who issued this statement Wednesday:
The Milwaukee Police Department issued the following statement:
A Milwaukee Police Department spokeswoman issued this statement:
She added the individual who was arrested refused to put his hands behind his back, and that's why force was used -- indicating the protester was not kicked, but was struck with the officer's knee. She explained that officers are trained to place a knee on the shoulder blade of a suspect, however, when individuals are actively moving, that could change.
She noted the officer did not purposely try to put his knee on the individual's neck.